At the 52nd Annual General Meeting of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) in Ibadan, Idowu Akinde, Managing Director of Impact Hub Lagos, delivered a powerful message. He came armed with fresh, critical ideas urging a rethink of advertising’s role in the age of volatility.

He spoke on the event’s theme, “Charting Bold Paths Forward,” explaining how and why the advertising industry should operate like a startup to survive the VUCA economy.

“If Nigeria’s advertising industry wants to survive and lead, it must adopt the mindset of startups—agile, experimental, collaborative, and bold,” Akinde stated.

He drew a parallel: “You all are in the business of building iconic brands. We are in the business of building disruptive companies. Ultimately, we’re about the same thing: rallying people behind an idea.”

That idea set the tone for what turned out to be a four-point call to action. It urged agencies to fundamentally rethink their approach to relevance and value creation.

Adopt the ‘Minimum Viable Campaign’ Mindset

Akinde introduced the idea of a ‘Minimum Viable Campaign’—a lean, test-driven approach to advertising modeled after the startup concept of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP).

Instead of placing all bets on big-budget, slow-moving campaigns, he argued for smaller, real-time digital experiments. These should be backed by immediate feedback and iteration.

“This isn’t about being cheap. It’s about being smart,” he emphasized. “It’s about replacing ‘we think this will work’ with ‘the data shows this is working.’”

This shift, he said, isn’t optional; it’s necessary for survival in a world of fragmented attention and unpredictable consumers.

Have the Courage to Pivot

Borrowing another play from the startup playbook, Akinde challenged agencies to pivot. He framed it not as a sign of weakness, but as a strategic reset.

He cited Instagram’s transformation from a failed check-in app to a global photo-sharing giant as a prime example of pivoting done right. The implication was clear: if global tech platforms can reinvent their models, why can’t agencies?

“What if, instead of being just service providers, agencies became growth partners? What if you stopped waiting for briefs and started writing them?” he questioned.

He painted a picture of agencies co-creating products, launching proprietary brands, and investing in future consumer ventures—a future where agencies are not just vendors, they’re shareholders.

Engineer Radical Collaboration

In a statement that challenged the industry’s longstanding culture of competition, Akinde called for what he described as “radical collaboration.”

“Your industry is filled with brilliant agencies, but often, you are competitors. What if the boldest path forward is one you walk together?”

From inter-agency partnerships to alliances with startups and innovation hubs, Akinde pushed for an ecosystem mindset—where value is unlocked not in silos, but through cross-pollination.

He extended a direct invitation: “Collaborate with us at Impact Hub Lagos. Let’s build media-tech, ad-tech, and marketing-tech solutions that shape the future.”

Disrupt with Purpose, Not Just for Profit

Akinde reminded the industry that its greatest weapon isn’t media buying; it’s storytelling. But storytelling, he said, must now be anchored in purpose.

“Consumers don’t just buy products. They buy into missions. They don’t just watch ads. They join movements.”

Akinde warned that younger audiences are too smart for empty slogans and superficial CSR. Real brand loyalty, he argued, will belong to those who integrate purpose into the core of their identity—not as a campaign, but as a culture.

No Apologies, No Illusions

Idowu Akinde’s speech wasn’t a feel-good moment. It was a mirror. And what he reflected back at the advertising industry was uncomfortable but necessary: complacency is no longer an option. The same old models will not deliver in today’s disrupted market.

“Think like a startup. Pivot when necessary. Collaborate without ego. And above all—lead with purpose.”

Akinde offered a founder’s lens for the future of advertising. Test, learn, iterate. Be brave enough to ask: “Is the business we’re in today the business we need to be in tomorrow?” Find new value in unexpected places. And above all, “use your incredible storytelling power to build brands that don’t just win in the marketplace, but win a larger share of the future.”

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